Three things are always true once the hot weather starts setting in: bugs, bugs and more bugs. Plus, this is expected to be a banner year for ticks, and Lyme disease is still on the rising part of the bell curve in Pennsylvania.

Insect Shield (ww.insectshield.com) has come out with a new Outdoor Blanket ($29.95) and Mini Blanket ($15.95) that are 56 x 74 inches and 28 x 36 inches, respectively to help keep away those ticks, fleas and other bugs that bug us so much.

Insect Shield also has

a full line of clothing, caps and socks that help repel bugs.

La Fresh’s Travel Lite Insect Repellent (www.LaFreshGroup.com) wipes are designed to keep mosquitoes at bay. The wipes are 100 percent natural and DEET free. And you carry them with you like you would a pack of tissues.

For the camp out, there is the RedFlame ® Skeeterlog ® (www.rediflame.com) that is eight inches wide by two inches long and infused with natural mosquito repellents to keep you safe from bloodsucking insects around the camp fire.

Socks are an important component to keeping your feet safe and comfortable in the warm weather. Swiftwick (www.swiftwick.com) has several types of compression socks designed for specific purposes. The Aspire offers a minimalist feel for the summer time and comes in pink, green, purple and red. The Pursuit is a little thicker and warmer, made of Merino wool while still employing compression and moisture wicking technology.

SealSkinz ® (www.sealskinz.com) has released waterproof, windproof breathable socks perfect for cyclists and hikers. The company also has fingerless cycling gloves and a waterproof cycling cap that utilize the same fabric technology.

Keeping cool in the summer heat is always a problem but the new Ambi (www.myambi.com) is an electronic ice cube that fits in your backpack, fanny pack or runners belt to cool off bug bits, bumps, bruises, injuries, migraines and hot flashes. It’s also nice for a real post run “cool down.”

Speaking of running, the new TICKR Run from Wahoo Fitness (www.wahoofitness.com) not only tracks your heart rate, but analyzes a runner’s form over iOS and Android platforms to help improve efficiency and minimize injury potential. The Running Smoothness ™ profile helps runners track unnecessary body movement. The chest-strap device measures heart rate, stride rate, ground contact time and a host of other data to give a true view into fitness and form. With its ANT+ and BLE capabilities, it can be paired with more than 50 of the most popular fitness apps.

The Flip Belt (www.flipbelt.com) is an active wear belt that can carry phones, ID and other essentials around your waist during any type of workouts. Because of the special fabric, bounce is minimized. The special “Flip” feature locks items into the belt pouch for on-the-go-security.

Keeping your battery-powered gear powered up is always a challenge. Rayovac (www.rayovac.com) introduced the Phone Boost 800, which is small enough to fit on a key chain, but packs 2.5 hours of talk time for smart phones.

Rayovac also unveiled car and wall chargers with dual USB ports to power your electronics at home or on the go.

Keeping items dry and safe is important, which is why OGIO (www.ogio.com), the brand leader in carrier bags and golf bags, has developed All Element Waterproof bags to go along with its high-end line of backpacks.

A must-have tool for cyclists is the new Everyday Carry Bike Kit from Kaufmann Mercantile (www.kaufmann-mercantile.com), which includes a pair of mini pry bars, two hex keys, glow-in-the-dark compass all on a key chain.

For outdoor sound on the go, it’s hard to beat the Ecoxgear: Ecoterra (www.ecoxgear.com), a water and dirt resistant speaker system that safely houses your mobile phone of MP3 player while delivering booming sound from its waterproof unit.

Ecoxgear also has the Ecorox waterproof, portable Bluetooth speaker that is also ideal for on-the-go at a much lighter weight and compact size.

For everyone who likes to grill, the Miracle Grill Mat (www.miraclegrillmat.com) is a non-stick solution. The grilling mat gets placed on top of the grill itself and reduces flare-ups while keeping the grill grates clean of food debris. The mats wash off with soap and warm water and can be used again and again. Because they are non-stick, you can even fry eggs and pancakes on the grill.